Key facts
- Monzo and Allianz are sponsoring ITV's coverage of the Nations Championship rugby union tournament.
- This is Monzo's first sponsorship deal in the sport of rugby union.
- The Nations Championship is an inaugural inter-hemispheric tournament combining summer tours and autumn internationals.
- Allianz will also sponsor a new rugby analysis show hosted by Dan Biggar and Ronan O’Gara.
- ITV will broadcast over 50 matches in 2026, including all of England's games.
Monzo, the challenger bank, is expanding its sponsorship portfolio into rugby union by partnering with Allianz and ITV for the upcoming Nations Championship competition. This marks a significant first step into the sport for Monzo, which previously partnered with The Hundred cricket competition.
Allianz, the insurance giant, has also signed a deal with ITV to sponsor the inaugural inter-hemispheric tournament. ITV will broadcast over 50 matches in 2026, including all of England's games, offering free-to-air rugby throughout the year.
This new Nations Championship combines the traditional summer tours and autumn internationals into a single event, culminating in a finals weekend at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium in late November. The deals come amid reports that Qatar Airways has put its sponsorship on hold due to the ongoing conflict in Iran.
While the sponsorship agreements between Monzo and Allianz are on a 50-50 basis for the main coverage, Allianz will incur an additional cost to sponsor a new rugby analysis show titled 'The Debrief with Dan and ROG'. This show will be hosted by former Welsh international Dan Biggar and La Rochelle coach Ronan O’Gara.
Colm Holmes, chief executive of Allianz, stated that the deal will help "bring the excitement and spirit of rugby to even more people." Charlotte Ford from Monzo expressed delight in partnering with ITV and Allianz for the historic debut of the Nations Championship 2026, calling it a "big milestone" for the bank.